by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports

DUNEDIN, Fla. - Ah, just another routine day in this new era of spring training.

Gone are the days of asking anyone about their winter, discussing weight gains and losses, weddings and babies, or even their contract status.

Now, it's staged press conferences.

And denials.

Statements written by attorneys and agents.

And denials.

Allegations and suspicions from media reports.

And denials.

Everywhere you turn these days, players report to camp, reporters descend, lawyers advise, and everyone is stunned how their names could possibly be linked to performance-enhancing drugs and the Biogenesis Clinic in South Florida.

Milwaukee Brewers All-Star left fielder Ryan Braun stood in the grass on his opening day of last year's spring training by ridiculing the Major League Baseball drug-testing process. He may have tested positive, but the test was flawed, he said, and he won his appeal.

This year, he stood outside again at the Brewers' complex in Phoenix and talked about everything but why his name showed up in the Biogenesis Clinic records, saying he already addressed that in his statement last week. The press conference was over, and he was gone, by the time ESPN reported in the afternoon that a second document from the clinic showed a $1,500 figure by his name.

"I understand why a lot of you guys are probably here, but I made a statement last week and I stand behind that statement,'' Braun told reporters. " I'm not going to address that issue any further. As I stated, I'm happy to cooperate fully with any investigation into this matter.

"I respect the fact that all of you guys have a job to do and part of that job involves asking me questions. I'm happy to answer any and all questions about baseball, spring training, the World Baseball Classic or anything else. Thanks."

Braun explained last week in his statement that his attorneys had actually contacted Tony Bosch, the clinic's chief, and they had a financial dispute over consulting fees.

Braun did not respond to a request for comment Friday from USA TODAY Sports regarding the ESPN report.

Early Friday morning, reporters hadn't even pulled into the parking lot at the Toronto Blue Jays' complex when an e-mail from the Blue Jays was sent out that disclosed a statement from Melky Cabrera, their new outfielder, who was suspended 50 games last year for testosterone.

"I am aware that in the past weeks, there have been news articles written about so-called patient files from a Miami clinic, and MLB and others are investigating those allegations. I have told MLB I will cooperate in their investigation the best I can, just as my legal counsel has told federal investigators. I have been instructed by legal counsel not to answer questions relating to the pending investigations.

"This statement will be the last comment I will make on the events of the 2012 season. I have put my mistakes behind me, have learned my lesson, and have served my punishment. I am here to play the best baseball I can to help the Toronto Blue Jays win a world championship."

Cabrera, to his credit, still had a press conference. He offered little insight and actually appeared relaxed taking questions. Of course, when you flunk a drug test, miss the final two months of the regular season and the San Francisco Giants' postseason and still sign a two-year, $16 million contract, why be stressed?

"He made a big mistake last year, and he understands that and paid the price for it,'' Blue Jays third base coach Luis Rivera said, who acted as his interpreter during Cabrera's press conference. "He knows that he made a huge mistake. It was hard, very hard for him and his family. But he's looking forward to 2013.''

Cabrera was asked specifically whether he could promise the Blue Jays' organization and their fans that he would never again take performance-enhancing drugs.

He never delivered the answer everyone was waiting for.

"That was a mistake made last year in 2012, this is 2013,'' Cabrera said through Rivera. "He's focused and concentrating on being on the field and playing hard and helping this team win games.''

This is the problem the Blue Jays and every organization in baseball faces: There are no guarantees that a one-time PED user stays clean.

Manny Ramirez got popped with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and then tested positive again a year later with the Tampa Bay Rays. New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, a close friend of Cabrera's, divulged that he used steroids in 2001-2003 with the Texas Rangers. Yet, his name surfaced again in the Biogenesis reports that he received 19 drugs in 2009-2012 with the Yankees.

Now, here are the Blue Jays, poised to make their first postseason run in two decades, selling out their season-opener in 45 minutes, and Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos is sitting in front of cameras, microphones and reporters, answering questions about Cabrera.

The only optimism was Anthopoulos' disclosure that MLB would not suspend Cabrera again for appearing in the Biogenesis paperwork.

"My understanding is that there is no issue," Anthopoulos said. "My understanding, as of today, we really don't have anything to be concerned about. He served his suspension, and right now, that's it. His suspension has been served."

Yet, Anthopoulos was asked, over and over, why he even bothered signing Cabrera. He had already tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. When he hit a league-leading .346 last season, it was obviously tainted. Who knows how he's going to perform now that he's supposed to be clean?

"If I knew for certain, I'd probably do a longer deal,'' said Anthopoulos, who was brutally honest during the press conference. "It's an educated guess, is the best way I can put it. There's absolutely no guarantees. There's certainly an element of risk. We knew that going in.''

And yet, if Cabrera had not tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, Anthopoulos said, they never would have signed him. They didn't even talk about the possiblity until after he tested positive.

Yes, that's what this game has evolved into these days. The Blue Jays couldn't have afforded Cabrera if he had stayed clean, but since he was dirty, the price tag dropped enough for the Blue Jays to sign him.

"Look, we talked about giving someone second chances and so on,'' Anthopoulos said, "but if we didn't think he could help us, I wouldn't be sitting here saying we're going to give him a second chance.

"So, being pretty transparent, we thought he can help us if the contract was right for us. For greater certainty, you'd be paying more.

"There are no guarantees. Potentially, the contract has tremendous value for us, and also a good amount of risk.''

Anthopoulos says that he asked Cabrera the tough questions. He asked why he did it, when did he start, why should they believe he will stop? It was a private conversation, and with legal ramifications, Anthopoulos said, he couldn't share any details.

"I certainly see a sincerity of regret,'' Anthopoulos said. "Like he told us, everything that had gone on, he brought upon himself. I didn't see him point the finger toward anybody. I didn't see him blame anybody else. Every conversation led back to him.

"It's a burden he's going to have to live with his entire career.''

Yet, is that so tough? Cabrera isn't a Hall of Famer. This won't keep him from Cooperstown. Will anyone really remember? Does anyone really care?

The Blue Jays aren't even worried that this will even be a distraction.

"No, this isn't the first time this has happened in our sport,'' Anthopoulos says. "We have a lot of other examples, whether it was Andy Pettitte or Jason Giambi or Brian Roberts.

"I understand the topic in baseball will probably be there forever, but I don't know whether this specifically with Melky will be an issue. Fans have been through it before. The media has been through it before. The unfortunate part is, he's one of many that has gone through this.''

So when will it stop? Will baseball, or any other sport, ever be clean? There's no evidence that the FBI or Drug Enforcement Agency has even opened an investigation in Biogenesis. And MLB investigators don't have subpoena power to draw the truth.

What's the real risk in performance-enhancing drugs if you can still be an attractive free agent, and even get pay raises?

It certainly didn't stop the Blue Jays from signing Cabrera. If they hadn't signed him, surely, someone else would have. When will teams say enough is enough?

"That was one of the debates,'' Anthopoulos said, on the morality involved in Cabrera's signing. "That was part of the discussion. Sure, we're here to win. But, what does your organization stand for? What are you about? You are a social institution. We talked about a lot of those things. Ultimately, we talk about giving guys a second chance.

"The fact that other players have gone through this was part of the decision making. I don't know that we could have been a trailblazer, go out on a limb, and do this. â?¦

"We all know it's been part of the sport, and unfortunate part of the sport, but make no mistake, he can help us win games.''

And that, in the world of sports, is all that matters.

You try to win. You try to cheat to win. And you sure hope you don't get caught.

The Blue Jays are gambling that Cabrera can be a productive player by being clean and that there isn't a second positive drug test in his future.

"I think things have gotten better,'' Anthopoulos said, "but you just don't know. Your hope with a suspension is that everybody sees what happens. It's not only suspension-wise, but media- wise, and reputation-wise.

"Is it enough of a deterrent, clearly not, because it continues to happen.''

Again. And again. And again.

Who knows, maybe even again to Cabrera?

"I'm confident that won't happen,'' Anthopoulos says. "Can I guarantee it? No. Can it happen? Sure, that's part of the risk.''

The Blue Jays, just like the players, believe that risk is worth the reward.